Hi-Speed Bicycle Chase Near Pill Hill Ends in Crash, Weed Bust

From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On 09-18-2012, approximately 7:40 a.m. a Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy driving a marked patrol car was driving on Harrison Avenue towards Harris Street, Eureka. The deputy saw an adult male riding a bicycle exit the Walgreens parking lot onto Harrison Avenue Street carrying something under his arm. The male appeared suspicious in his behavior so the deputy turned his patrol car around to see what the male was carrying.

After the deputy turned his patrol car around, the male started riding faster away from the deputy and cut across traffic, failing to signal and violating the vehicle code. The deputy attempted to stop the male by activating his emergency lights. The male rode faster on the bike and began evasive maneuvers to avoid the deputy. The deputy activated his siren and pursued the bicyclist in and out of business parking lots. The deputy saw the bicyclist dump what he was carrying on the ground and attempt to ride behind the Blood Bank to avoid the deputy.

The deputy met the bicyclist on the other side of the Blood Bank at which time the bicyclist tried to ride over a curb, but failed. The bicyclist was thrown over the handle bars of the bicycle into some bushes. The deputy took the bicyclist into custody. The bicyclist was identified as Thomas Smith, 40 years old, from Eureka. Smith was uninjured, the bushes broke his fall. The deputy recovered the bag Smith had thrown during the pursuit. The bag was filled with marijuana bud, estimated to be one pound.

Smith was booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility for possession for sale and transportation of marijuana, along with violation of probation. His bail is set at $25,000.00.